A study reveals that a long hug can be considered infidelity depending on the context

An investigation by the

has delved into what behaviors are identified as

.

His main conclusion is that

that, in isolation, fall within social normality can be combined and become an indicator of

in the eyes of the couple.

For their research, the scientists showed

to more than 9,000 subjects, with four factors: explicit behavior, emotional involvement, duration of infidelity, and

erotic contact .

"While sexual intercourse is judged unfaithful regardless of context, less explicit behaviors, such as kissing or hugging, are also considered unfaithful," they conclude in their results, published in

In these less explicit behaviors, it was the

that contributed to creating an idea of ​​infidelity.

Thus, even the cases of no physical contact combined with erotic messages and emotional commitment were evaluated as infidelity.

And in this, women were more strict than men and the youngest respondents were the most intransigent.

The study defines infidelity as "a sexual and/or emotional act performed by a person within a committed relationship, where said act occurs outside the primary relationship and constitutes a breach of trust and/or a violation of agreed norms ( overt or suggested) by one or both individuals in that relationship in relation to romantic, emotional, or sexual exclusivity".

Although almost 100% of those surveyed defined as infidelity the practice of sexual relations outside the couple, as well as kisses, one fact is striking:

if it was combined with an emotional involvement, erotic behavior

or a long-term relationship.

Without any of these factors, only 11% considered that a long hug pointed to infidelity.

Conforms to The Trust Project criteria

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• Sex

• couple relationships